Management Team

The Summit Peak Credit Management Team possesses vast lending experience across commercial mortgage origination and financing, real estate, FinTech, property management, asset and liability management, risk management, with over 2 years of direct cannabis lending. The SPC Executives and the Board of Directors are committed to providing a culture of compliance and institutional awareness.

Michael S. Richardson, President and CEO

Michael has over 30 years of experience in mortgage loan production, valuation, quality control, compliance, forensics, fraud prevention and change management. With this knowledge, Michael was instrumental in developing the specialty lending platform for Summit Peak Credit, an Asset Based non-bank Lender for the Legal Cannabis Industry. Since Summit Peak Credit began operations, it has processd, underwritten and funded millions of dollars of loans. SPC understands the lack of banking, capital and liquidity available to businesses in the Legal Cannabis Industry therefore the primary focus is on debt financing secured by real estate, equipment and other hard assets. SPC is a portfolio lender making all underwriting decisions in house, funding and servicing our loan portfolio throughout the life cycle of the loan.

Prior to Summit Peak Credit, Michael started and operated financial services companies. He was the Managing Director of Cognitive Options Group, an outsourced loan review, due diligence financial services consulting firm, as well as the NexWest Group with a specialty in Due Diligence & Compliance related consulting. Additionally, Michael was a Founder, CEO, and President of IFS Direct, which provided first and second lien retail fulfillment services nationally for Mellon Mortgage, Prudential Bank, and Aurora Loan Services. IFS Direct also provided regional, private-label origination and fulfillment services for community banks. Michael was also CEO and President of First Valuation, Inc., which provides a full spectrum of real estate valuation, and Metro American Mortgage, a firm that specializes in first time home buyers. Michael is the proud Author of the book “An American Epidemic, Mortgage Fraud…a Serious Business”, published in 2005.

Michael Poole, Executive Vice President of Credit Risk

Michael has in depth knowledge of negotiation, review and closing of all aspects of construction and permanent financing transactions with local, regional and national lenders. He has experience in analyzing all financial, tax, and operational data available to validate current positions as well as project future results to assist in mitigating risk.

Additionally, Michael has extensive experience with the Financial and Tax issues facing the Legal Cannabis Industry including IRC Section 280E strategies and compliance and also financial reporting in accordance with GAAP.

Prior to joining the team at SPC, Michael managed over $100 million of Walgreen Co. developments. He finalized all site acquisitions, oversaw all external entities involved throughout projects and closed all sale, financing transactions, and performed all construction draws and utilized available interest rate vehicles on outstanding construction debt.

Michael received a Bachelor of Science Accounting, CPA State of Kentucky, CCIM Designee.

Ryan B. Richardson, Director of Operational Risk

Ryan is an expert in horticulture and commercial cannabis growing with more than 8 years of cultivation and medical marijuana industry experience. Ryan also has more than 5 years of experience in the mortgage compliance and due diligence, and in depth knowledge of Federal and State Cannabis laws.

Before joining the team at SPC, Ryan became a certified Colorado State Master Gardener. Ryan has held the position of Head Cultivator at many Cannabis businesses statewide. Ryan is also a Consultant to start up warehouse growers providing advice on all production phases of operation including assembling initial financial and operating plan and consultation on key personnel to perform critical management functions.

Hillary Kulkarni, Manager of Loan Operations

Hillary Kulkarni is a Manager of Loan Operations for Summit Peak Credit, LLC. Hillary has been instrumental in establishing efficient processes for lead development, tracking, and follow-up, as well as underwriting support and facilitation for clients and vendors. She optimizes the utilization of the loan origination system including custom functionality and monitors borrower compliance, portfolio management, and credit relationships. Hillary is a licensed Real Estate Broker with experience in brokerage services to investors, tenants, landlords, buyers and sellers.

Hillary received a B.A. in Hospitality and Tourism, with a Minor in Marketing at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale and attended Kaplan Real Estate School.

Michael has over 30 years of experience in mortgage loan production, valuation, quality control, compliance, forensics, fraud prevention and change management. With this knowledge Michael was instrumental in developing the specialty lending platform for Summit Peak Credit, an Asset Based non-bank Lender for the Legal Cannabis Industry. Since Summit Peak Credit began operations, it has processed, underwritten and funded millions of dollars of loans. SPC understands the lack of banking, capital, and liquidity available to businesses in the Legal Cannabis Industry therefore the primary focus is on debt financing secured by real estate, equipment and other hard assets. SPC is a portfolio lender making all under-writing decisions in house, funding and servicing our loan portfolio throughout the life cycle of the loan.

Prior to Summit Peak Credit, Michael started and operated financial services companies. He was the Managing Director of Cognitive Options Group, an outsourced loan review, due diligence financial services consulting firm, as well as the NexWest Group with a specialty in Due Diligence & Compliance related consulting. Additionally, Michael was a Founder, CEO, and President of IFS Direct, which provided first and second lien retail fulfillment services nationally for Mellon Mortgage, Prudential Bank, and Aurora Loan Services. IFS Direct also provided regional, private-label origination and fulfillment services for community banks. Michael was also CEO and President of First Valuation, Inc., which provides a full spectrum of real estate valuation, and Metro American Mortgage, a firm that specializes in first time home buyers. Michael is the proud Author of the book “An American Epidemic, Mortgage Fraud…a Serious Business”, published in 2005.

Marijuana Disclosure

Summit Peak Credit, LLC services and products are strictly limited to the confines of relevant state laws and regulations relating to state-legal medical marijuana and adult use marijuana. All activities related to marijuana are currently illegal under the laws of the United States of America and nothing contained herein nor are any of our services provided intended to assist in any way with violation of any applicable law.

SPC is not, and will not, be engaged in the possession, cultivation, distribution, or otherwise related end-to-end activity associated with cannabis.